In our introduction to the Diversity Posture series, we shared that each company should have a Diversity Posture, which is the active part of your business DNA that's expressed externally. In other words, it's how your business intentionally portrays its attitude, belief system, associated practices and demonstrated values as well as how it operates in regards to diversity. Our goal during this series is to help you uncover that posture, as it directly correlates to your ability to remain relevant in the market and be a best place to work.
As we previously referenced, the recent study by McKinsey stresses that hiring for diversity isn't enough, as "it's the workplace experience that shapes whether people remain and thrive." The company's posture, both internally and externally, keenly impacts its value.
This article's focus is on the tough questions that must be asked of the C-Suite to ultimately determine the company's positive Diversity Posture. Through direct experience, we've found the following 7 areas to be most impactful in identifying, understanding and communicating your Diversity DNA and Posture.
Question 1: Why/Why not has your company implemented a diversity posture?
Question 2: How would your clients and partners describe your diversity posture?
Question 3: How is your diversity planning communicated organization wide?
Question 4: Is diversity planning part of your intentional succession planning?
Question 5: Is diversity posturing part of your annual strategic planning?
Question 6: How do you ensure all of your leaders are aligned to your diversity plan and are you measuring the adoption by your leaders?
Question 7: How do you demonstrate the linkage between your diversity posture and bottom line?
We took our questions to the boardroom and asked CEOs the above 7 questions. Their honesty revealed that although several believed they had started with a diverse culture and posture, it wasn't an intentional strategic initiative as much as a coincidence, and therefore they could not maintain their diversity posture. They affirmed our observations and experiences that diversity posture must be an intentional part of corporate strategy and organizational rigor as a lifecycle, not a passive business activity or deliverable.
Our team: Our team of experts include executives in Change Management, HR and Operations and spans a variety of industries. Our passion rivals our experience. Our passion is to help people and businesses thrive where they live, work, play and pray. Our corporate mission is to help organizations be relevant and competitive in today's changing market and emerge as a best place to work. We look forward to helping you thrive and emerge during this blog series and beyond.
